Tuesday, October 30, 2012

The Prophet (SWAS) and His Companions (RA) established the best time in history. Their struggle was the struggle in the interest of all Creation -- mankind, jinn, animals, vegetation, mountains, deserts, forests, rivers, seas, clouds, etc. as inspired by the verses of the Quran which call man to contemplate about his role in Creation. By voluntarily submitting human will to the natural order (Islam), they showed how it was possible for everything to function in perfect harmony with Allah's Sunnan.

In contrast to present day thought, Islamic viewpoint holds that as time passed after that golden age, things became worse and worse. Did not the Prophet (SWAS) say that his generation was the best, then that after his, then that after that, etc? So with this viewpoint we can conclude that today humanity, nay but all Creation, is experiencing the worst of times. This conclusion may be shocking to some but it is true. Certainly so much scientific and medical progress has been made, so many human rights have been safeguarded, slavery has been eliminated, etc.

Generally, subsequent generation after the Prophet's (SWAS) deviated from the Truth, with the exception of some periods in which some revivors of the deen were born. In general, the trend has been downwards. Until our time, when man is not at service to Allah, let alone other men, let alone his brothers in faith, let alone his countrymen, let alone his tribesmen, let alone his clan, let alone his family. The Prophet (SWAS) and His Companions (RA) taught us to live and to die for a larger cause than oneself.

After the fall of the Khalifate, Muslims learnt to live for their nation states. Once this seed of nationalism was sown, the battleground got transferred to the provinces, after that to one's ethnic group, then to one's sect, then to one's family, etc. etc. Until today, a Muslim lives and dies only for himself.

If Muslims want to see their future, they should try studying the social phenomemna of the West which they so proudly follow. There every individual is alone in a meaningless struggle for self-perpetuation, until when he dies in an old home no one except the city's social workers find out. Divorce is rampant. People simply do not marry anymore preferring to live lives worse than animals. They spend more on their pets than on charities.

If you wish for a good future for your kids, try to conceptualize a larger mission in life for yourselves, then struggle to achieve it. Be a good role model to your children. Without this no matter how many stories you tell them of the heroes of the past, it will be of little use.